


The Heart of a Hero—Alternate Take

by ShinyKing



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Darker & Edgier, Fanfiction of Fanfiction, Gen, Novelization, link is a skull kid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2020-12-21 10:28:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21073397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShinyKing/pseuds/ShinyKing
Summary: My take on Windskull's Heart of a Hero. Picking up where Chapter 17 left, Link has been under Ganondorf's control for the past 7 years, leaving Hyrule in utter darkness....





	1. Monsters

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Heart of a Hero](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15127430) by [Windskull](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Windskull/pseuds/Windskull). 

Despair can do funny things to a man. Houlihan thought he'd never return to the ruins of Hyrule Castle Town, but he had hardly any other options anymore. He had thought that he and his family had been among the lucky ones; having managed to escape to Kakariko Village when so many other had perished on that wretched night.  
That luck had been short-lived, it would seem. While only a small portion of Castle Town's population had escaped to make their way to only nearby settlement, their numbers nearly doubled the population of Kakariko overnight, devastating the local economy.  
While the local granary had enough food for the regular population to comfortably survive the coming winter, the strain of supporting so many people quickly dried up food supplies. The few who were able continued past the village, leaving Hyrule altogether for greener pastures beyond. Most were too scared or shell-shocked, or simply unwilling,to move on, even years later.  
While Houlihan and his family were among this latter group, they generally tried to forget that night and lend their aid to the village that had taken them in, but the efforts of them and those like them could not counterbalance the multitude of refugees who could not or would not help.  
The people from Castle Town had lived a very different life before. They were used to making or selling wares, not working fields or constructing buildings. Rather than working, they tended to cluster together, morosly swapping stories of the time before and begging for food. Only when they were truly starving did they actually resort to stealing, but there were limits. They never broke into homes, and they certainly never killed.  
They weren't monsters, after all.  
Only monsters killed people.  
Houlihan knew that most residents of Kakariko wanted these layabouts gone, but were unable to do much about them. Every attempt to drive them away had only resulted in them sneaking back into the village, and the villagers did not want to take the drastic action of actually killing the troublemakers.  
They weren't monsters, after all.  
Not yet.

In retrospect, the plague that had broken out and killed nearly half the population, residents and refugees alike, before burning itself out could be a blessing in disguise. Fewer mouths to feeds, less waste piling up near the edge of the village, and those who had been hesitant to work before finally realized that they had to do their part if they all were to survive.  
Houlihan, however, couldn't see it that way. Both of his children and his wife had perished, sending him down a dark spiral that finally ended with him staring at the abandoned entrances to Castle Town, on the seventh anniversary of that fateful night. The full moon stared back at him through a thin layer of cloudsz He could feel the evil of this place, as though a dark hand was reaching out and grasping his heart. It felt no different from the sadness that he had been trying to drown for the past few months.  
Letting out a deep sigh and hefting the small bag of mementos onto his shoulder, Houlihan carefully negotiated the ruined drawbridge and into the bleek, blasted remnants of his past.

Hyrule Castle Town's early construction was meticulously planned to direct visitors along certain paths. Houlihan paused as he walked past the guardhouse as the phantom feeling of being watched, a memory of when guards carefully scrutinized the comings and goings of visitors, echoed in his mind.  
Shrugging off the feeling, he continued following the short, wide road down toward the great market that had been the heart of commerce in Hyrule. Once crowded with shoppers,Tho only noise now was the wind howling through the piles of rotted wood that marked the remnants of stalls. The more permanent brick shops that formed the edges of the market had been desolated; their facades having crumbled into nothing while the buildings themselves collapsed into overgrown ruins devoid of both goods to sell and visitors to buy, occupied only by the occasional flicker of moonlight drifting through the rubble.  
Not wishing to approach the mummified corpse on the other side of the market, Houlihan ducked down an alley, following the old path he'd taken a hundred times before towards the large house his family had shared with two others before the fall.  
Both of those other families had perished when that building had been ransacked.  
One of them stayed dead.  
In sudden flash of paranoia, Houlihan clutched his bag to his chest, looking around fervently. He'd been so lost in memories that he failed to realize just how unobstructed his passage had been. Even after seven years, it was known that some of the creatures that razed the town still haunted the ruins, but there was nothing but the wind laughing through the closed-in brick and wood.  
Moving much more carefully now, it took nearly an hour of navigating around piles of rubble to reach his old home. Houlihan felt like he was in a trance as he collapsed to his knees, staring up at the ruined monument to his ruined life. Hanging his head, he spotted the small flute, a birthday gift to his daughter, thought lost in their frantic flight, lying on the ground. Reaching out a trembling hand, Houlihan took it to his chest, the pain of daughter's death suddenly fresh again in his heart.  
Tears finally breaking free, Houlihan lifted his face to gaze at his devasted home.  
He found himself face-to-face with a shadowy spirit clad in blood-red clothing, who looked first at the flute, then at him, almost accusingly.

The creature made no sound even as the former resident fell back. For a fraction of a second, the two of them stared at each other. Houlihan broke the stalemate first; letting out a choked cry and scrambling away, prompting the monster's face to split into a terrifying grin full of sharp teeth as it gave chase.  
Blinded by panic, Houlihan's only thought was to escape. He ducked down the first side path he came across, then briefly pulled up short when conronted with a crossroads. Then, with a faint rustle, the monsterous creature peered out at him from the shadows to the right. With another muffled scream, Houlihan tore off down the other path, almost immediately tripping over a loose stone. Before he could get his feet back under him, the creature caught up, and Houlihan felt a blade slash his leg. Not deep enough to cause any real damage, but enough to galvanise the man back into action, and he sprinted domn the path.  
How long the game continued this way, Houlihan couldn't say. The spirit would appear at a croosroad, effectively shepherding him through the labyrinth ef back alleys that composed Catle Town. Where he was being directed, he couldn't say. His paniced mind could only focus on putting one foot in front of the other as fast as possible, while doging any obstacle in his path. His trips were rewarded with more slashes to his legs.  
Finally, covered in sweat and blood and gasping for breath, Houlihan broke into the open air of the market. Desperate to find freedom, he looked around for the entrance, only to stare another, different monster in the face. Standing directly in front of him was the corpse he had seen earlier, now revealed to bean undead monster. The doomed man recoiled, but was unable to flee before the zombie drew in a deep breath and let out a horrific scream.  
Mind blasted clear in sheer terror, Houlihan barely noticed the hitching laugh getting louder in his air as the shorter monster wrapped its arms around him from behind, almost seeming to pull him away even as the other slowly reached its clawed hand for his throat....

Link stared down at his hands in confusion, ignoring the noise of feasting rightnext to him. Several questions floated through his mind about what had just happened, but the main one was 'why?' Why had he tried to help the intruder? Sure, he had allowed himself a little fun while guiding him back to the market, but he was a skull kid; they were supposed to play pranks. And why had he tried to pull him away from danger after he had been paralyzed by the redead's scream? Link might not be fond of the sounds that his umdead friends made when they ate, but so what?  
Monsters deserved te die, and that was that.  
Especially monsters that invaded and looted the town. Trespassing and stealing were monstrous crimes, fully deserving of death.  
The redead, noticing Link's change in mood, paused in its meal to shriek a question at him. Jolted from his thoughts, Link gave his friend a toothy grin. "Nothing's wrong," he answered, looking around for an excuse to leave. His eyes lit up when he saw the instrument the monster had dropped. "Hey, check this out!" Link hastily snatched it up befre the expanding pool of blood could dirty it. The redead rose to tower over him, as most of his friends did, and shrieked another question.  
"Maybe later," Link asnwered, wanting some time to sort through his thoughts. "I gotta go take this back to its owners." The skull kid danced away, waving. "I'll see you two later!" The pair of redeads barely acknowledged his departure, preferring to return to their favorite passtime: wandering around aimlessly.

With a sigh of relief and rustle of leaves, Link arrived on a nearby rooftop. If his wooden skin could sweat, he wouldn't need water for a week. The redeads hadn't noticed his odd behavior, but the fact that his father hadn't congratuated him on a job well done like usual meant that his slip-up hadn't gone entirely unnoticed. At the same time, he hadn't been berated, so the skull kid had to assume that the death of the monster meant that all was forgiven in the end.  
Link placed a hand on his chest. Even if he was glad to not be in trouble, he had hoped to have someone to talk to. Redeads made for terribly dry conversationalists, and poes could hardly be persuaded to stay still long enough to discuss a good prank. That left only his pet fairy back home, but Link had the sneaking suspicion that she wasn't terribly fond of his jokes. She hardly laughed at them, for starters.  
Clenching his fists in frustration at his boredom, Link was reminded of the flute the monster had stolen. He'd said he'd take it back, and he would, but that didn't mean the skull kid couldn't take it home first and ensure that it was in peak working condition. Mood slightly improved, Link allowed his magic to flow through his body, sinking into the dark tunnel that led home.

Navi weakly lolled her head to look as the water started dripping into her cage again. Fairies rarely needed to consume anything but water, but that water tended to be pure water from magical fountains. The stale, rancid fluid that leaked from the foliage above into her prison could barely be called water, and was only just good enough to keep her alive. She no longer had the energy to find a way out of her jail: a wire mesh spread out over a corner on the floor of the house Link had claimed as his new home, all those years ago.  
Speaking of whom, he'd likely be back soon. He'd been getting quite antsy again; having gone some time since his last trip out. Navi tried to pretend she didn't know what he did when he went out; imagining that the darkening of his red tunic was caused by rain rather than blood, but it was impossible to deny what her friend had become.  
With a rustle of dead leaves and a flicker of shadow, Link was standing in the middle of the twisted grove that had grown in his small home, but without his usual dramatic flare. Not good. He'd usually be brimming be chaotic cheerfullness whenever he returned from the outside world, and as much as it hurt her heart to see Link's personality so twisted, it usually meant that he'd entertain himself for a few days and leave her in peace.  
Lately, however, Link's highs had been wearing off faster and faster, and his lows had become progressively worse. If he'd finally gotten to the point where his "trips" could no longer satisfy him, the skullkid would probably start turning his ire on her.  
On some level, Navi welcomed it. She'd long since reached the point where she'd rather die than see her friend be a monster under Ganondorf's control. She would have cried if she had any tears left. The fairy closed her eyes and waited for his usual brace of mocking insults. When nothing came, she decided to brave a peek.  
Link was sitting a knot of wood, examining a small flute in his hands.  
Navi couldn't help her curiosity. "Where did you get that?" she croaked weakly.  
The skullkid finally turned to face her, his face bereft of both irritation and cheer. Instead, he looked....confused?  
"A trespasser stole it from someone's home," he answered, almost mechanically, as though reading from a script. "Only monsters do that."  
Link turned his attention back to the instrument and, putting it to his lips, made two sounds Navi hadn't heard in years: the soft till of music, followed by delighted laugh. Leaning back and cheerfully kicking his feet, Link adjusted his fingers over the holes and blew a different note, letting out another laugh at the high sound that emerged. He suddenly jumped to his feet and started blowing notes at random, stopping on occasion to laugh. Navi would have laughed as well, had she the energy, at seeing her friend so much like his old self.  
The notes soon became more organized, slowly turning into a tune that reminded the fairy of the forest. The real forest, not the warped distortion that had taken root around her.  
Her almost-happiness was short-lived, as after only a few bars, the beautifuly melody pettered out, to be replaced by an odd noise coming from Link himself. Well, the skullkid never was able to stay interested in anything for long. Except, was that crying? Navi tried maneuvering for a better look at her friend, and must have caught his attention, for Link turned to her, his face twisted in shock and horror.  
"Navi?" He asked in the broken voice of a child.


	2. Awake

Navi stared, not entirely sure if what she was seeing was real or some kind of trick. Link was looking around fearfully, as though he had no idea as to where he was. The fairy fluttered her wings and hesitantly approached the bars of her cage, watching Link in an attempt to judge the honesty of this behavior. She didn't like feeling so poorly of the spirit that had once been her friend, but after the past seven years....  
Tho skull kid loved toying with her, but that usually took the form of harsh teasing or cruel verbal traps—tricking her into saying something she didn't mean—not acting in such a way as to give her false hope like this. Besides, Link had never been able to maintain an act for long. And if there was a chance he was fighting of the curse that had held sway over him for so long, didn't she owe it to the Great Deku Tree to find out for sure? Fearing the worst but hoping for the best, Navi called to the trembling skull kid.  
Link whipped around to stare at her once more. "Navi?" he asked again, his voice hitching as he slowly crept closer. "Is....is that you? What's....what's ha-happening?"  
Navi made a soft jingling sound that she hoped was calming. "It's me, Link. Are you...." the question died in her throat as he came close enough to see the tears pouring down his face.  
"Navi, I...." His cracking voice failed as a fresh wave of tears fell down his face. His expression—what little his wooden visage was capable of making—was an awful mix of reprehension and guilt as he put a hand on the iron mesh that held her prisoner.  
"Navi....p-please," the spirit took a shaky breath clearly trying to control himself long enough to speak. "Please, t-tell me that I....t-that I...." Another wave of tears and wailing cut Link off. He started pulling at the mesh, shoulders and arms trembling so violently as to cause the metal to make its own rattling noise.  
Link pulled apart the fairy's prison apart mithout much difficulty and fell back to sit on his feet, looking at his hands. Navi perked up at the removal of her restraints, but didn't move. Her doubts as to his authenticity had long since been quelled, but still she hesitated.  
Another moment, and the skull kid jerked his head up to look at her. "Please tell me that all of this has just been a nightmare!" he wailed, voice full of despair.  
The fairy said nothing, instead slowly lowering herself back down to the ground. She honestly had no idea what to say. There really was no point in offering a comforting lie, while the truth would simply cause more pain.  
It didn't matter, as Link drew the truth from her silence. "Oh, Navi," he said softly, reaching forward and gently cupping the little ball of light in his hands. She squirmed slightly. Curse or no curse, the last time he had touched her like this....  
"I'm sorry, Navi," he choked out, cradling her to his still-hitching chest. The skull kid slumped against the wall and curled up around her, continuing to mumble apologies in between sobs. It took nearly an hour for his breathing to deepen, signifying that he'd at last managed to cry himself to sleep. Navi felt tears sliding down her own face, and snuggled up against her friend.  
She couldn't just forget the events of the Temple of Time, nor the pain of the last seven years; and for all she knew, she was the one dreaming and would wake up shortly back in her cage. It didn't matter, she thought, snuggling herself closer to Link's wooden form. For tonight, for right now, she had her friend back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said only one more chapter, but after writing this scene, I decided that it should be a chapter on its own, so there'll likely be another chapter after this.
> 
> Also, I know elipses are supposed to be three dots, but my OCD demands four :/


	3. Ruined

Navi....where art thou?

Navi perked when she heard the Great Deku Tree's summons, and hastened to his side. He kept all denizens of the forest safe, so should he need the aid of one of his fairy attendants, well, it simply wouldn't do to keep him waiting.  
"Yes, Great Deku Tree? You called?"  
There is a spirit in the forest, beyond where the Kokiri dwell. Go now, and bring him to me.  
"Yes, sir! Right away!"  
The fairy departed immediately into the depths of the Lost Woods. She didn't know exactly where to look, but trusted that the Deku Tree's magic would guide her to the monster she sought. Time slid away into nothingness, the forest became a warm blur, and then she had arrived in the clearing with her friend. Everything felt sideways. The skull kid was sitting on a log, silently playing a flute, and giving her a wide, sharp-toothed smile. Navi floated in front of him for a while before communicating the Deku Tree's wish for an audience.  
In response, the monster laughed, cartwheeled towards the edge of the clearing, and looked back at her with another cruel smile before vanishing into the dead trees. Navi called out for him to stop as she pursued him, but the skull kid just kept walking away. Her breath started to become ragged as she kept calling, but Link just ventured further and further into the ruins. After several months of chasing, the fairy finally collapsed to the ground, and darkness consumed her vision.  
She had no sense of time in the abyss, only a periodic gust of distant air that she could hear but not feel. The black turned to red and a burningly bright pair of indigo lights shined on her, accompanied by a giant row of teeth. Metal vines crept around her, trapping the fairy in place. A deafing voice sounded out; one that was cruel and malicious—taking joy in her suffering.  
"Hey! Hello, fairy lady!"

The fairy jolted awake, instinctively flying into the air while simultaneously trying to right herself. She looked around wildly, taking in the less-than–calming appearance of the vine-encrusted ruin that had been her prison for seven years. The gloomy light filtering through the foliage that served as a roof told her that it was already mid-afternoon. It was just as she was settling back down that she noticed the lack of her actual cage, and, realizing that the events of the previous night hadn't just been a wistful dream, turned to look for Link.  
The skull kid was just where he'd fallen asleep the night before, save for having slid over to lie on his side. He was already awake, but remained lying in place; all four limbs limply draped where they had fallen. His eyes stared unblinkingly in her direction—the fairy couldn't tell if Link was looking at her, or if she just happened to be presently existing within his field of vision.  
"I want to go home," he weakly croaked, slowly dragging a hand over to her.  
Navi tried not to flinch at the passing glimpse of Link's sharp teeth, and fluttered out of his reach. It was good that he had come to his senses, but she didn't know if she was ready to fully forgive him yet. There would probably be some part of her that would always resent what he had done. But she had made a promise to the Great Deku Tree, and she intended to keep it.  
"Link, we...." the fairy took a breath. "We have to do something about Ganondorf," she finished gently.  
Link let out a noise that was somewhere between a groan and a whine, and curled into as tight a ball as he could.  
Navi fluttered closer. She'd have to be gentle with Link's fragile psyche while convincing him to take action. "Come on, Link! We can't just leave Hyrule in his control!" she pushed.  
It was a moment before the skull kid responded. He eventually sat up, rubbing at his chest, and stared at her morosely before speaking; voice laden with contempt. "Haven't I done enough damage?"  
Navi sighed under her breath. This was going to be harder than she thought. "Oh, Link, none of that was your fault! You were being controlled!"  
Link hugged his knees to his chest. "No I wasn't," he mumbled.  
The fairy blinked, trying to grasp what that statement meant. "What?"  
Link had started trembling and was on the verge of tears again. "Navi, I remember all of it. Killing all those people, letting Father into the Temple, hurting....h-hurting you," his voice trailed off into hitching sobs and he buried his head in his hands. The fairy started to respond, but was cut off. "I remember every minute of it, because," the skull kid raised his head to look at her, wrapping his arms around his chest. Despite his sobbing, the only trace of tears was the dried tracks from the previous night. "Navi, I-I _enjoyed_ it. I _wanted_ to do it. I saw those people as monsters that had to be killed."  
The two stared at each other; one lost in thought and the other in sadness. The silence between them stretched on for some time. Link finally rose shakily to his feet and headed for the half-rotted door, snapping the fairy out her contempatative trance.  
"Link, no." Navi sailed after the skull kid and smacked him on the head, wincing at his hard psuedo-skin. She could process the implications of what he had said later. "That was just Ganondorf's magic at work. Remember what the Great Deku Tree said? You are Hyrule's last hope! He sent me to find _you_!"  
If the skull kid felt her blow he didn't react. "And look where that got us," he shot back glumly.  
The fairy gritted her teeth, deciding to play her trump card. She flew directly in front of Link's face just as he reached the door. "What about Saria? What will she say when she learns you broke your promise?"  
Link flinched. "I-" he hesitated. "I only ever promised to deliver the Stones," he offered weakly, looking away.  
"You think that will make a difference to Saria? Is she going to be safe with Ganondorf in power? What about Skully?"  
Link hung his head in shame. "No. You're right, Navi. But, Father is-" He stopped himself, swallowed thickly, and continued. "_Ganondorf_ is too strong. There's no way I could beat him!" The skull kid's hands started worrying at the front of his tunic. "And what if he...."  
Navi started cheerfully bouncing in the air. "The Master Sword, Link! The sword of evil's bane! It won't be easy, but it should give us the edge we need!"  
Link nodded, warming to the idea. "Alright, but after all this time, it could be anywhere."  
"No, someone with an evil heart shouldn't be able to touch it, and since there's hardly been anyone in Castle Town but-" Navi snapped her mouth shut, realizing almost too late that she almost said the forbidden word. The old Link, if he ever even thought she had referred to him as a monster, would fly into a childish tantrum. She didn't know how he would react to the implication now, and she didn't want to risk hurting him again while he was still recovering from the damage the gerudo had done to his mind. Fortunately, he seemed not to notice her slip-up; instead staring absently in the direction of a clump of vines—vines that she now noticed had started to wilt slightly. "A-anyway," she said hastily, "It should be impossible for anyone who isn't pure to handle the Master Sword, so it should be right where you left it."  
"Oh. Alright," Link responded somberly, and, with a bit of a struggle, forced open the door and into Castle Town.  
Navi, confused by the skull kid's sudden melancholy, hastened to follow.

Navi winced against the harsh light of the outdoors. Even though the late afternoon sun was hidden by buildings, it was the closest she had come to experiencing direct sunlight in seven years. Had it always been so painful? No, that wasn't right. While the light squeezing through her eyelids did burn, she could feel something else. Some instinct screamed a warning of incredible danger in the near distance; like a cold fire slamming against her tiny frame.  
Whatever it was, Link either didn't feel it or didn't respond to it—she could hear his dragging footsteps receding away. Squinting through a blur of light and tears, Navi rushed in the direction of the footsteps—and the source of that awful aura. Not wanting to fly around blindly and risk running into a fence or wall, the fairy wrenched open her still-not–fully–adjusted eyes open.  
The devastation of the street that met her gaze took her breath away.  
She had known Castle Town had been reduced to ruin, based on what Link had hinted to her and the obvious fact that few structures would be able to withstand the elements for seven years with no humans around to perform maintenance, but actually seeing it for herself was something else entirely.  
The few buildings that weren't more rubble than buildng were still surrounded by mounds of crumbled masonry. Even the ones in the best condition had had chunks blasted out of their sides. Shadows flickered and played through abandonded homes. Every standing wall was marked by scorch marks and blood. The only sound accompanying the bleak sight was the wind whispering around the abandonded town. And yet, despite the desolation, not a single plant had attempted to naturalize the ruins.  
Looking up, Navi could see why: ghastly clouds, an ugly grayish-black in colour, filled the sky; carrying the stench of life-choking evil. They moved far faster than the the mild wind should have been able to propel them, and all in different directions. With a start, Navi realized that they were moving directly _away_ from a single place—the direction from which the evil she sensed was the strongest.  
Fearing the worst, the fairy looked at last towards Hyrule Castle.  
There had once been a mighty and regal citadel gleeming brightly over Castle Town, guaranteeing safety and prosperity to those under its protection. Now, a dark, foreboding stronghold made of black stone glared ominously down the street at her, promising nothing but pain, suffering, misery, death. The dark clouds billowed out over its central spire, spreading Ganondorf's evil throughout Hyrule. There could be no doubt that this was the calamity that the Deku Tree had sent them to prevent.  
A flash of red cut through her vision, and Navi's heart lurched when she noticed where Link was heading. _Of course he's not affected by that wave of evil; he's been possessed again; he's going back to_ him, was the horrible thought that sprang to the fairy's mind. But no, she realized, as he turned off down a side street.  
Scarcely had that fear been quashed before the fairy felt an awful sense of deja vu; flashing back to the time seven years ago—the last time she made this same pursuit. For one single, terrible moment, she heard a voice whispering to her to _just leave him; it'll only be a repeat of last time_. But Link was her _friend_, damnit, and there was no way she was letting him get away again.  
"Link, hold up!" Navi bolted after the skull kid, and to his credit, he actually stopped and looked back; waiting for her. Looked at her with _his_ eyes, those same bright blue eyes that had stared at her in mild curiosity back in the forest, not the purple-tinged indigo that had mocked her for seven years.  
The fairy was already out of breath by the time she caught up. _I'm getting too old for this_, she thought, envying the energy of younger fairies. They didn't know how good they had it. Not letting her fatigue slow her down, Navi nuzzled her friend's cheek, then pointedly took up position on his shoulder.  
"That's better," she stated as she settled in. "Let's go!" Link gave a strained smile, then resumed walking. Navi was pleased to note that he was moving with purpose; no longer dragging his feet.

Journeying through the rubble seemed to improve Link's mood considerably. He seemed to treat the rubble as a giant playground—scampering up piles of stone and tumbling down the other side, even throwing in a cartwheel at one point. Navi couldn't keep her perch through his acrobatics, but was more than happy to flit along behind him. Even when he slipped and fell, kicking up a massive cloud of dust, his only reaction was to get up, smile, and carry on. It lifted her heart seeing him so happy.  
And then the closed buildings around the duo opened, and their good humour dried instantly.  
If the fairy thought the streets were bad, Castle Town Market was like a punch to the gut.  
Navi didn't want to believe just how bad the changes were, but the evidence of her eyes as she looked around was unmistakable. Link only moved a little further into the open than his companion before also stopping to gaze about.   
The mask shop Link had stolen from had only its sun-bleached, rotted sign with which to identify it with. The general store from which they had bought Link's bag and other essentials was indescernible from the other collapsed buildings. Of the pastry stall at which Navi had taught her friend about rupees, there was no sign. The view only got worse when her eyes turned to her companion.  
It was only now, in the improved light of an open—albeit heavily clouded—sky, that she realized just how bad a state her friend really was in. His ears drooped, the end of his cap was ripped off, his tunic was torn in several places, and his eyes, while they may be his own blue, still gave an aura of deep sadness.  
Realizing that they had best keep moving, the fairy hastened to close the distance between the two. "Sorry about that, got lost in thought. You okay?" she asked with false optimism. Link didn't answer, but turned his eyes towards the fortress; one hand rubbing absently at his chest. The silence stretched on long enough that Navi began to doubt her earlier confidence in his mental stability. "Er....Link?" His wooden face gave no insight into what was going through his head. "Hey, what's wrong?"  
"I can feel him," was the muted response she got. "Fa-Ganondorf is over there, but I can feel him here."  
"Hey, stay with me. He can't get to you from there, understand?" Her friend crossed his arms in front of his chest as though cold, mumbling something to the contrary. "Link...." Navi started, slipping unconsciously into lecture mode as she floated in front of his face. "What aren't you telling me?"  
The skull kid looked down to the side; the same look of shame he'd had when she'd brought up Saria. Wordlessly, he gripped the ragged end of his tunic and lifted it to expose his chest, and Navi saw exactly what the problem was. A layer of old, filthy bandages covered part of it, but the spiderweb of cracks spreading across his wooden torso was plainly visible; the bark at their edges looking rotted and dead; congealed sap crusted in places. Even worse than that, however, was what lurked underneath.  
Navi didn't know what a skull kid was supposed to look like on the inside, but she had assumed he would have the same wooden interior that his barky skin would suggest. They most definitely were _not_ supposed to have a bright purple...._something_ pulsating under their skin. Navi could smell the evil stench wafting off the stuff, and had the sickening feeling that that was only the start; that what she could see through the cracks in his form spoke of a corruption that ran through her friend's entire body.  
"Okay....I know that looks bad, but the Master Sword should be able to take care of it, okay?" The fairy tried to sound reassuring despite her own doubts. "It repels evil, so just being near it should drive that stuff out of you, alright? We just need to get to it." _And quickly._ She had no idea how true that was, but what other option did they even have?  
Her friend certainly didn't look reassured as he readjusted his clothes, but he nodded gravely. "I hope so," he whispered, resuming the trek to the Temple at a more sedate pace; Navi resuming her perch.

An entire corner of the market was given over to the only direct road to the isolated garden that sheltered the Temple of Time. The path was wide enough to allow half a dozen visitors to travel alongside one another, although why so many people would need to visit an isolated, obstensibly empty building, Link had never been able to deduce.  
The skull kid jogged towards the opening; worn boots impacting softly on the cracked cobblestones. They were an old pair; one he had appropriated from some abandonded house. At the time, he had justified the theft by saying he would find the owners and return them. Now he realized that that had just been an excuse; a way of telling himself that he wasn't a monster.  
He picked up the pace, hoping that Navi was right about the Master Sword, hoping to put this whole nightmare behind him. The sooner he was on his way home, the sooner he could forget everything that had happened. Everything he did. To Navi....  
No, don't think about it. Don't think about everyone he hurt. Don't think about everyone he let down. And _especially_ don't think about the presence whispering to him from the core of his being.

"Link, watch out!" Navi's call pulled him out of his thoughts. Dread trickled down his spine—did skull kids even have spines?—when he spied the trio of redeads blocking the path—one squatting on the stairs, the other two standing nearby—heads turned towards the fairy's call. His stomach turned when he realized the look they were giving him was a hostile one.  
For years, they had been almost friends to him. Sure, they were rough and somewhat prickly, but they weren't all that bad. When a group of intrepid—but ultimately foolish—hylians had attempted to take back the city, they had been the first to fight back. When that same group had injured Link, it was a redead who had been first to come to his aid. Hell, it was a pair of redeads that helped the skull kid find a house that was still intact enough to live in.  
Now, they looked at him in the same way everyone whom he had encountered since leaving the forest had: like a monster.  
And yet, they weren't moving to attack. Likely waiting for him to get closer; they weren't exactly fast enough to give chase. That didn't mean he could just dodge around them either; he knew about their screams, even if he hadn't been on the receiving end of one for some time.  
Navi seemed to reach the same conclusion. "Is there another way around?" Her voice was barely a whisper, even though it was far to late to worry about detection.  
It was possible to get up onto the road they needed by using a side path, but Link had a better idea. He closed his eyes, letting the empty darkness flow from his vision to envelop and clear his mind. He saw the Temple of Time in his head; saw himself standing before it, looking up at it, then walking in. The image firmly envisioned, Link reach down deep for his magic.  
Something else reached back.

Navi had seen her friend teleport out of his home more than enough times to recognize when he was about to, so when she noticed his eyes flickering out, she gently settled on his shoulder and braced for the ride.  
She was not prepared for the spirit to abruptly clutch his head and loose a agonized scream. She flew into the air, alarmed. He'd done this hundreds of times, why was there only now a problem? Did Ganondorf's influence run so deep that it had corrupted even his magic?  
"No, no, no, no, Get out of my head Leave me alone I don't want to anymore She's my friend I don't want to like it...." Link's cries dissolved into whines as he began flailing around and stumbling backwards.  
Even his inevitable trip did nothing to snap him out of it, and only resulted in the skull kid writhing pathetically on the ground, feet kicking uselessly, fingers clawing under his cap. His already ratty tunic caught and tore on the unforgiving cobblestones.  
"LINK!" Maybe screaming at the spirit having a mental breakdown wasn't the best option, but the fairy had never been in a situation like this before and had no idea how to calm him down. The orbs that were his eyes began flickering in and out of existence, and Navi was horrified to see purple beginning to creep back into their edges.  
"Come on, Link, snap out of it! I'm here for you! Don't give in!" The skull kid didn't respond, of course. He had curled into the fetal position and was letting out a continuous moan, hands on the back of his head as though trying to pull himself into a tighter ball.

As if their situation couldn't get more dire, one of the redeads—bored of waiting for its prey to near—decided to investigate. Navi, trying desperately to calm her friend down, didn't notice the monster's approach until its own awful scream tore into her mind.  
The fairy froze mid-sentence. The terrible sound reverberated through her head and echoed down into her very soul. It picked through her thoughts and memories; dredging up the worst times of her life, and showing them to her all at once.  
She could see the Deku Tree perishing, Link lying near death in Dodongo's Cavern, trying to find her friend through the pouring rain of Hyrule Field.  
The Scream could sense her close connection to the spirit lying in front of her and focused Its efforts on her memories of him.  
The tiny sliver of her consciousness that was still cohesive noticed that the Scream ignored her recent imprisonment; hunting instead for old wounds to reopen. It looked through the time the duo explored Kakariko, alighting on the fear that poured down on the fairy in the graveyard as her friend lay unconcious. Hunting deeper, It found the other time she encountered one of these monsters.  
She hadn't known fear then, but the Scream rectified that. It yanked that memory to the forefront, and both the Navi in the market and the Navi in the tomb—was there even any difference between the two anymore?—were introduced to the horrific duet. The noise grew endlessly; pure Terror forcing Its way into the core of her very being.  
Moments before the fairy's existence collapsed into utter madness, she felt first wood, then sweet, merciful darkness enveloping her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Hey, I remembered to indent this time)  
Okay, I know I keep saying "next chapter will be the last one", but I just keep coming up with more and more to fill it out. This time, I really do mean it when I say that the next chapter should be the last one.


	4. Courage

The world according to Navi went from mind-crushingly horrifying to absolutely dark instantaneously, then just as quickly went back to normal; leaving her hoarsely gasping for air. It took several minutes for her brain to realize that she was no longer being subjected to such abject terror. The fairy gratefully allowed herself to drift to the ground, not even carring where she was while she got her breathing under control.  
As her faculties returned to normal, she began to think. Something didn't make sense. She had heard a redead scream once before; but back then, it had barely affected her at all. Navi knew that her experience had only lasted a few seconds—fairies had an innate sense of direction, and the sun was in the exact same place in the sky as it had been moments ago—but it felt like her mind had been being ripped asunder for _hours._ Why was this time so much worse?  
"Navi?"  
Ah, that was it. She'd been....innocent, in a way. Save the Deku Tree's death, she'd not yet known the suffering the world could provide. Now she knew all too well. _Thanks to the monster,_ that awful voice whispered. The fairy looked over at her _friend._ He knew suffering as well now, possibly more than her. They needed each other; now more than ever.  
Link was sitting against a low brick wall and holding his legs; eyes closed and breathing shakily. "Navi?" His voice was quite and fearful, as though scared the fairy wasn't there any more; that she'd left him.  
"I'm here, Link." The fairy's exhaustion showed in her almost-slurred words.  
The spirit opened his eyes to look at her, then gasped sharply and closed them again; slapping a wooden palm over the extinguished lights. Lights that had been tinged with purple once again.  
Navi's pulse quickened; fear rising in her again. _Fly away, while you still can._ Absolutely not. This was a time to be brave, not cowardly. The fairy wearily rose into the air to join her friend. "Are you alright?"  
"He's in my head. In my magic." Link was gasping in some kind of pain; voice strained but with a determined edge to it. "I....can't tell where mine ends and...._his_ begins. I was able....to get us away, but I don't know if I could....i-if _he_ would...."  
_Flee!_ No!  
"Hey, listen! Don't push yourself, Link!" Navi nuzzled her friend's cheek, speaking softly into his ear. "Just take a deep breath. Focus on my voice. Ganondorf will never get you again; not while I'm here."  
The fairy started humming the tune that had helped him earlier—the one Saria had taught him years ago. She wasn't as musically inclined as some of her kin were, but it seemed to help the skull kid. His breathing steadied, and he eventually dared to open his once-again–blue eyes.  
"Better?" Link nodded, even managing a weak smile. "Good. Come on, it's just a little further, then we can go home and never look back."  
"Okay. Just....give me a minute." Link relaxed against the wall, clearly needing rest after his most recent exertion.  
"That's fine," Navi consented; needing a break herself. "But don't take too long; we should probably leave by dark."  
"Yeah, you're right," Was the quite response.  
Something else occured to the fairy. "Link?"  
"Hmm?"  
"Try....try to stay awake, okay?" Navi hesitated; not wanting to spell out exactly what was on her mind. "Just in case....something happens." The skull kid opened an eye to look at her in confusion. "You know, in case we need to get away quickly." _In case you betray me again._ That's not what happened.  
If her friend understood the fear at the heart of her words, he gave no sign; only nodded and closed his eye again. Navi sighed in relief at his placidity, allowing herself to sag once more to a resting position. Fairies were tough, but all this stress in such a short time was really getting to her, especially after so long in that cage.  
_He put you in that cage._ Navi ignored the voice, instead taking stock of their situation. Link's deperate teleportation had dropped them only a few minutes from the Temple of Time, with nothing between them and it save a sweeping set of stairs and a desolate garden. When last she'd passed this way, Navi hadn't had the opportunity to appreciate the splendor of the field that had surrounded the holy place, but she knew it had had blooming flowers, verdant green grass, fluttering butterflies, and well–cared–for hedges. Now, there was nothing but dirt and barren shrubbery, without a hint of life to be seen. Not even a solitary weed grew between the cobblestones. The eerie silence rang in her ears, putting her teeth on edge.  
With nothing else to do, her mind wandered—right back to the dark corners she had been trying to ignore. It was like the redead was still clawing through her head; forcing the worst of her to the surface. No matter how hard she tried, every trail of thought just led right back to the same starting point.  
Ganondorf had been the one who plunged Hyrule into darkness. He had devastated the city, killing hundreds. And yet, he would have failed in his plans if not for Link. The skull kid had opened the Sacred Realm to the gerudo; had betrayed the trust of the Deku Tree; had been the one responsible for her imprisonment; the one who kept her locked in a cage for seven years, enduring an endless barrage of mockery. Every time Navi battled back the ugly thoughts by reminding herself of how much good Link had done, how hard he'd worked for people to whom he owed nothing, and how he was even now fighting to retain himself, she was also reminded of a different insult _the monster_ threw at her.

Link cracked an eye to look at his friend. Her breathing had started to become ragged as she mubled furiously to herself, as though arguing with someone only she could see. The fairy was obviously distressed, but Link was hesitant to interject. The sound she was making was far more preferable than the tumultuous noise churning in the back of his thoughts.  
The evil _thing_ inside of him was no longer attempting to flay his mind back into submission to Ganondorf, but it had not become wholly silent. It prowled around his subconscious, sniffing at any potential weakness it could find, refusing any use of his magic that was not used for the sake of Ganondorf, snapping at any attempt to probe the limits of its territory. Even before Link had become more adept at using his magic, he'd still been in tune with it. Being practically cut off from it left him feeling hollow.  
He had barely managed to steal away with the little bit needed to get the two of them away from the redead, and even that had nearly cost the skull kid everything. When he'd grabbed Navi moments before blinking away, the corruption nearly won. The urge to just squeeze down, to crush her tiny body, had been almost irresistable. Another stunt like that, and he'd undoubtedly lose himself again. The fact that she was now talking—even if the words were indiscernible to him—served as proof that the spirit was still himself.

Link had started to drift into an uneasy sleep when Navi abruptly snapped at him that it was time to go. He looked at his friend in mild confusion at her sudden hostility, causing her to turn away slightly. She offered a quite "Sorry, just stressed," in apology.  
Evidently, she'd lost the argument against herself.  
It was fine; he'd had enough rest, and the pair couldn't afford to prolong their journey much longer. Rising to his feet, the skull kid took one last look around the abandonded gardens, absently scratching at the scars on his chest. They had a haunting beauty about them. He'd sometimes make the trip out here when he felt like a change of scenery; one that he likely—hopefully—would never see again. Link abruptly turned his back; mounting the last set of stairs. The fact that he was feeling sentimental about this place almost made him sick. Still, now that he was actually here, passing through the imposing threshold of the Temple, doubt started to creep in. He could tell it was being fed by the thing inside, but that didn't make him any less uneasy.

The duo was quite as they crept down the red carpet that ran the length of the Temple. The dimly lit interior had been untouched by time—not a single crack marred the floors or walls; nor did a speck of dust rested on the polished wooden benches. The setting sun filtered down through stained glass, causing a faint, eerie red glow to envelop everything.  
Link paused before the giant stone slab at the end of the room, from which the Spiritual Stones glimmered up at him; pristine as the day he put them there. He ran a rough wooden hand over the smooth surface of the Emerald; almost able to hear Skully calling him to play; hear Saria playing her ocarina.  
He could hear his corruption as well, haunting the pathways of his mind; promising unending pain if he didn't turn around now. The spirit knew that if he submitted, that promise would be fulfilled. But he had his own promise that he would fulfill, now matter how much he feared Ganondorf's wrath. He just had to be brave for a little longer.  
As Link slowly walked around the slab, something caught his eye. A travelling bag lay discarded near the open doorway. _His_ travelling bag, with his old hylian shield lying against it; both abandonded for seven years. The skull kid knelt down, opening it with trembling hands.  
The Ocarina of Time was sitting on top, nestled on top of the empty bomb bag and green tunic, which in turn hid everything else from view. Link hesitated, uncertain of what awaited him underneath. Taking a deep breath, he lifted the fabric away.  
Time had not been so kind to his old items. The slingshot's string was dried out; it would snap if he tried to use it. Not that there was any ammunition—the seeds were shriveled and cracked. The boomerang had an ugly crack running its length. The skull mask was mostly intact, with only a horn having broke off.  
Link's hands shook more with each item he took out and set aside. He froze after removing the mask, staring down at the last thing remaining. His companion asked something, but the skull kid couldn't hear her. Cruel laughter rang in his ears at what he found. His precious ocarina, the gift Saria had given him when he left the forest, had been destroyed. The mouthpiece was all that remained intact; the rest being nothing more than splinters.  
The skull tried to squeeze his eyes shut, but his possessor forced them open, etching the sight into memory. _Torment is all that awaits down your present course._ Link gritted his teeth. Lifting the mask to obscure the ruined instrument, he was tempted to put it on. _You cannot hide from one failure behind another._  
"Shut up!" Link shouted, even though it was too late to dispel the uncertainty the thing had festered before it retreated to whatever hole it called home.  
To her credit, Navi didn't flinch at his outburst. Instead, she flew to position herself between the mask and his face. "Just a little more, Link, then we can go see them. Okay?"  
Nodding, Link gingerly replaced the mask, tunic, and bomb bag, leaving the rest scattered about. They'd be of no use to him in their current state, and he didn't want to weighed down if he had to make a return trip past the redeads.

Taking a few deep breaths, Link rose and walked fully inside the vast chamber that had stood hidden for untold decades. "Hey, Navi?"  
The fairy drifted behind, not wanting to rush him. "Yeah? What're you thinking?"  
While the main body of the Temple had been illuminated, albeit dimly, this chamber's sole window failed to allow any meaningful light in. "You said that anyone not pure of heart can't wield the Master Sword, right?"  
Navi didn't like where this was going. "Well, that's what all the stories the Great Deku Tree told us say."  
The skull kid ponderously mounted the stairs surrounding the Sword's pedestal. "So that means I won't be able to hold it."  
They could see now that the Master Sword was indeed still there, resting on its side next to its pedestal; having been dropped shortly after being pulled. "You aren't a monster, Link. Whatever magic Ganondorf used may be in you, but it isn't you."  
The legendary blade seemed to exude a subtle blue aura as the duo drew up alongside it. "It's....kinda short, isn't it?"  
Navi couldn't help but laughing at the absurd comment, even if he was completely correct. "I guess it's sized for a skull kid, then!"  
Link didn't share her humor, though he did give a nervous smile. The buzzing in his head was becoming a roar. He couldn't even hear his own rapid breathing, and he felt he was just as likely to vomit as not when he bent over. "I hope you're right."  
The sword's aura grew stronger as Link gingerly reached out a hand for it. _You know she isn't._  
Wooden fingers closed around the metal hilt. _Please, free me from this thing._

The blade _screamed_ at him, and the thing inside screamed right back. The searing heat from the blade burned its way up his arm; the chilling darkness emerged from his core to meet it. The opposites clashed at his shoulder, and Link threw his head back in an agonized scream of his own as the forces waged war inside his own body. The skull kid couldn't let go of the blade; his bark felt as though it had been fused to the metal itself. He was not holding it, he realized. The Master Sword was holding him.  
His entire arm was nothing but pain. The fire burned its way into his chest, the pressure building until Link thought he would explode. Lava coursed through his other limbs, but the brunt of the attack went up his throat. Flames exploded out of the skull kid's screaming mouth and eyes; his vision turning from blue to white. The pain turned towards his mind, hacking through his thoughts and burning almost everything away. Even his longing for cool, dark relief was carved from his psyche.  
Then finally, it was over. The Master Sword, seemingly satisfied with its work, pulled its fiery tendrils back into itself, releasing its grip on the skull kid and splashing to the ground. Link didn't even have the strength to move anymore; limply dropping face-first into shallow water. His mouth hung open, letting out only fevered gasps and moans that transformed into spouts of water, before the darkness was allowed back in.

Link wasn't sure how long he laid there; consciousness coming in bursts. His vision would turn from black to deep blue before blacking out again.  
Wake up, limply flop the good arm about, black out.  
All he could do next time was cringe at the crushing pain in his left arm, then black out.  
Legs kicked jerkily. Maybe stand up? No, too weak; black out.  
Decided to roll over; water doesn't make for good breathing.  
Oh, there's a ball of light this time. Moving, too. Vision must be working, at least intermittently.  
"Link!" Hearing's back. That's good. "Link, are you okay?" Oh, and a really warm arm lying across the scars; that means feeling is coming around. Speaking of arms.... "Can you hear me?" Yup, pain is working as well.

The skull kid let out a long groan. Navi would have been impressed at its duration if she wasn't so worried. Her friend's eyes had stopped flickering drunkenly and seemed to be focusing on her, even if such a thing was hard to discern. He still wasn't entirely coherent; vaguely reaching up at her with his mouth slowly closing and opening as he struggled to form words.  
"Come on, Link, get up!" The fairy flew around his outstretched hand to bonk the skull kid's forehead. She immediately regretted it, having already forgotten the outcome of the last time she'd done that. It seemed to work this time, however—Link slowly sat up with another groan; grabbing instead for his left shoulder with a grimace. Had the bark on his left arm always been paler than his right?  
"Yes, you must rise," A voice came from outside the skull kid's field of view, and he rolled his head around to investigate the sound. An old man with bushy white sideburns stood on a nearby pedestal that kept his orange robes free from the water. What water?  
Link lifted a hand to confirm that it was indeed wet and he was sitting in a shallow pool of water that had conjured itself into the Temple of Time. Where's the Temple?  
Looking around, the skull kid saw that is was gone, having been replaced by a great void that held nothing but a few distant waterfalls. The dais that had housed the Master Sword was now a platform floating in the void, ringed by a series of pedestals similar to the one the old man was standing on.  
"Focus, child, you have much to do," The man demanded, almost impatiently.  
"Who....happen?" Link slurred.  
"Ah, I see. My apologies. I had not thought it would react so....strongly." The man tucked his hands into his sleeves. "The Master Sword has contained the evil magic inside your form. It may....take a moment for you to adjust."  
The man's answer was met with blank stares. "Where are I?"  
Navi hoped her friend's stupor would not last much longer. "More to the point, who are you?"  
"This is the Sacred Realm," The man gestured grandly, as though the skull kid was supposed to impressed by a bunch of emptiness. "A holy place forged by the Goddesses to house their greatest gift to Hyrule: the Triforce. I am one of the sages charged with protecting this most precious of treasures. My name is Rauru."  
Link started giggling, while Navi raised an eyebrow at this man's pretentiousness. "Okay, but what does that have to do with us? Why are we here?"  
Rauru frowned, as though the answer should be obvious. "Your companion pulled the Master Sword, opening the Sacred Realm to the evil of Ganondorf. He has taken the Triforce and used its power to lay waste to Hyrule. The time has come for him to set right what has been wronged."  
"Hey, don't you go blaming Link for all this. Ganondorf is solely responsible; Link's only crime was crossing his path and getting controlled by his magic." The skull kid slowly stumbled to his feet as the other two started to argue.  
"Regardless, the Master Sword would have remained sealed if not for your friend, and now he must redeem himself in the eyes of the Goddesses for the desolation caused to Hyrule."  
"And just what exactly have you been doing to help these past few years? How come you never tried to bring Link out from under Ganondorf's power?"  
The human harrumphed at her tone. "I lack the ability to confront monsters directly."  
"Listen, you," Navi bristled, but was interrupted by her friend buckling to his knees.  
"I just wanted to help. I was just a forest spirit; I didn't know what I was getting into. Haven't I been punished enough already? Can't I just go home?" Link was rubbing at his shoulder absently while curling into a ball, fresh tears dripping down his face.  
Rauru nodded, tucking his arms into his sleeves once more. "You must. Ganondorf's power has grown too great; more than the Master Sword alone can vanquish." The skull kid gritted his teeth. This old geezer clearly wasn't listening. "You must find the other sages; tell them that the time has come to retaliate. One of them resides in the depths of the Lost Woods, if that is where you wish to journey first."  
From the way her wings were buzzing, Navi was getting furious; clearly ready to lecture the old man's sideburns off. However, he simply didn't have the energy for any further arguing. "If it means I won't be a monster anymore, fine. How do I get out of here?"  
"Take up the Master Sword. It will open the way back to Hyrule."  
Link jerked, staring first at Rauru in disbelief, then down at the sword. It glimmered at him from under the water; almost daring him to take it. He didn't want to—not desiring a repeat of his last experience—but his left arm reached for it against his wishes. His breath grew panicked; he was struggling to control his own movements. Just as he looked to Navi for help, his fingers closed around the hilt once more.  
The skull kid's eyes squeezed shut in anticipation of the pain. When the sword spread its fiery influence through him, it did so almost casually. It still burned, and with no indication of what it was after this time, Link could do nothing but grit his teeth and try to hold onto his sanity.

When the agony faded and Link dared to open his eyes, he saw that the duo was back in the dreary light of the Temple of Time. He could feel the weight of the Master Sword strapped to his back. The skull kid started to question it, but at this point, he simply didn't care enough.  
"You okay?" Navi asked gently, and her friend nodded mutely. "Listen, don't let that what that guy said get to you. You're not a monster, now or ever. Are you feeling any better? Did the Master Sword help?"  
"I....think so." The skull kid didn't sound at all certain as he closed his eyes, gently reaching inward to prod at his magic. As soon as Link's mind brushed against it, his arm snatched the hilt of the Master Sword of its own volition. The blaze of fire that seemed to always accompany that contact swept through once more, blocking his mental probe and forcing it back.  
When her friend dropped to his knees, Navi rushed to him, floating worredly about his head. "Hey, are you okay?" The fairy buzzed. "Is _he_ still....well, you know," She finished lamely.  
"Yeah, fine," Link gasped. He hoped this was a temporary thing. It may have been uncomfortable to have Ganondorf's curse guarding his magic and taunting him with it, but he'd almost rather that to the sword utterly cutting it off. The blade pulsed dangerously at this, so Link resolved to just focus on the now. Arm back under his control, he rose unsteadily to his feet and gave his friend a weak smile.  
"Well, if you say so." Navi could tell her friend was hiding something, but decided to leave it alone for the time being. He'd been through enough, and needed time to process everything. Forcing it would only make his mind crack from the stress. "Come on. We got what we came for, now let's go see Saria and Skully." The fairy flew out of the hidden chamber, her companion trudging along behind.  
Link retrieved his shield and strapped it to his back. "Do you think it's as bad as he said out there? I don't remember leaving town." That being said, the past seven years were something of a blur. Just as the skull kid thought back to his time being controlled, another wave of heat pulsed through him briefly.  
"Well, it can't be worse than here. You alright?" Her friend hissed in pain and clutched briefly at his shoulder, but nodded regardless.  
Link adjusted his bag and shrugged it onto his shoulder, trying to ignore the hot weight of the blade underneath. "It's nothing. You're right, let's get out of here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's it for me. All of this came about from a brief flash of an idea I had while reading the Windskull's story, and it just kind of snowballed into this giant mess. I won't be continuing from here, as it would more than likely just end up following the original with only a fewer minor adjustments.  
Thanks to Windskull for coming up with the original idea and endorsing my interpretation of it, and to everyone who took the time to read this; it's been a fun little exercise. Yall stay warm this holiday season.

**Author's Note:**

> I came up with and wrote this (more-or-less) immediately after reading Ch.17 of Windskull's original fic. Probably going to do another chapter, but don't currently have any plans beyond that.


End file.
